Liquid accumulator and air conditioning unit

Abstract

The present application relates to the technical field of fluid, and provides a liquid accumulator and an air conditioning unit, the liquid accumulator comprising: a tank body, a first partition plate, a second partition plate and a valve core assembly, the first partition plate and the second partition plate are arranged in the tank body along the height direction of the tank body, so as to sequentially separate a gas cavity, a liquid storage cavity and a liquid cavity, the first partition plate is provided with a first through hole, the second partition plate is provided with a second through hole, the gas cavity is provided with a gas port, and the liquid cavity is provided with a first liquid port and a second liquid port; the valve core assembly is movably arranged in the liquid storage cavity and is adapted to switch between a first position and a second position, in the first position, the valve core assembly closes the first through hole, and the liquid storage cavity is in a full-liquid state; in the second position, the valve core assembly closes the second through hole, and the liquid storage cavity is in a full-gas state. The present application can realize active liquid storage and active liquid discharge, and can realize the effects of full-liquid and full-gas self-locking, and has the characteristics of simple structure, high stability and reliability and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of fluid technology, and more particularly to a liquid storage device and an air conditioning unit. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, most existing liquid storage tanks are passive liquid storage tanks, which are fixed containers without moving parts. They cannot achieve active liquid storage and active liquid drainage, and often experience unstable liquid storage, resulting in the liquid storage tank not being able to be filled effectively, thus having low reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a liquid storage device and an air conditioning unit that can achieve active liquid storage and active liquid discharge, and can achieve a self-locking effect when full of liquid and full of gas. It has the characteristics of simple structure and high stability and reliability.

[0004] This invention provides a liquid reservoir, comprising:

[0005] Tank body;

[0006] A first partition and a second partition are spaced apart in the tank along the height direction of the tank body to sequentially separate a gas chamber, a liquid storage chamber and a liquid chamber. The first partition is provided with a first through hole, the second partition is provided with a second through hole, the gas chamber is provided with a gas port, and the liquid chamber is provided with a first liquid port and a second liquid port.

[0007] The valve core assembly is movably disposed within the liquid storage chamber and is adapted to switch between a first position and a second position.

[0008] In the first position, the valve core assembly closes the first through hole, and the liquid storage chamber is in a full liquid state;

[0009] In the second position, the valve core assembly closes the second through hole, and the liquid storage chamber is in a full gas state.

[0010] According to a liquid reservoir provided by the present invention, the valve core assembly includes:

[0011] Float;

[0012] The first and second ejector pins are located on the upper and lower sides of the float;

[0013] Furthermore, at the first position, the first ejector pin is located inside the first through hole;

[0014] In the second position, the second ejector pin is located inside the second through hole.

[0015] According to a liquid reservoir provided by the present invention, the first through hole and the second through hole are tapered holes, and the flared end of the tapered hole faces the liquid reservoir cavity; and the first ejector pin and the second ejector pin are conical ejector pins.

[0016] According to a liquid reservoir provided by the present invention, the first through hole is located at the center of the first partition, and the second through hole is located at the center of the second partition.

[0017] According to a liquid reservoir provided by the present invention, the air port is connected to an air pipe, the first liquid port is connected to a first liquid pipe, and the second liquid port is connected to a second liquid pipe.

[0018] According to the present invention, the liquid storage container is a pressure-resistant container.

[0019] A liquid reservoir according to the present invention further includes: a guide assembly, the guide assembly comprising:

[0020] At least two guide rods are arranged side by side in the liquid storage chamber along the height direction of the liquid storage chamber, and the valve core assembly is movably connected to the guide rods.

[0021] The present invention also provides an air conditioning unit, comprising: an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger and the above-mentioned liquid receiver, wherein the gas port of the liquid receiver is connected to the gas pipe end of the outdoor heat exchanger, the first liquid port of the liquid receiver is connected to the liquid pipe end of the indoor heat exchanger, and the second liquid port of the liquid receiver is connected to an electronic expansion valve via a second liquid pipe, and the electronic expansion valve is connected to the liquid pipe end of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0022] The flow path diameter of the second liquid pipe is larger than that of the electronic expansion valve.

[0023] An air conditioning unit according to the present invention further includes:

[0024] compressor;

[0025] A four-way valve, wherein the first end of the four-way valve is connected to the exhaust port of the compressor, the second end of the four-way valve is connected to the intake port of the compressor, the third end of the four-way valve is connected to the gas pipe end of the indoor heat exchanger, and the fourth end of the four-way valve is connected to the gas pipe end of the outdoor heat exchanger.

[0026] According to an air conditioning unit provided by the present invention, the effective volume of the liquid storage chamber of the liquid receiver is matched with the difference in refrigerant mass required under full heating load and full cooling load conditions of the air conditioning unit.

[0027] The liquid receiver and air conditioning unit provided by this invention can actively store liquid or gas according to the pressure of the gas chamber and liquid chamber, realizing the active storage and discharge of fluids. It can also achieve the self-locking effect when full of liquid and full of gas, and has the characteristics of simple structure and high stability and reliability. At the same time, by setting up a liquid receiver, the air conditioning unit can autonomously and stably adjust the refrigerant circulation volume in the circulation path according to the operating conditions, adapting to different operating conditions, so as to achieve the purpose of high-efficiency and high-capacity operation of the air conditioning unit in summer cooling and winter heating, thereby effectively improving the user experience. Attached Figure Description

[0028] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in this invention or related technologies, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments or related technologies will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are some embodiments of this invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid reservoir provided by the present invention;

[0030] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Sectional view along axis AA;

[0031] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the air conditioning unit provided by the present invention;

[0032] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the heating mode principle of the air conditioning unit provided by the present invention;

[0033] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the cooling mode principle of the air conditioning unit provided by the present invention.

[0034] Figure label:

[0035] 100: Liquid reservoir; 101: Tank body; 102: First partition; 1021: First through hole;

[0036] 103: Second partition; 1031: Second through hole;

[0037] 104: Valve core assembly; 1041: Float; 10411: Guide hole;

[0038] 1042: First thimble; 1043: Second thimble;

[0039] 105: Air chamber; 1051: Air inlet; 1052: Trachea; 106: Liquid reservoir;

[0040] 107: Liquid cavity; 1071: First liquid port; 1072: Second liquid port;

[0041] 1073: First liquid pipe; 1074: Second liquid pipe; 108: Guide rod;

[0042] 200: Indoor heat exchanger; 300: Outdoor heat exchanger; 400: Electronic expansion valve;

[0043] 500: Compressor; 600: Four-way valve. Detailed Implementation

[0044] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the technical solutions of this invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this invention.

[0045] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of the present invention. In addition, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0046] In the description of the embodiments of the present invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of the present invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0047] In embodiments of the present invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "on top of," and "over" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0048] In the description of this specification, the references to terms such as "one embodiment," "some embodiments," "example," "specific example," or "some examples," etc., refer to specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described in connection with that embodiment or example, which are included in at least one embodiment or example of the present invention. In this specification, the illustrative expressions of the above terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Furthermore, the specific features, structures, materials, or characteristics described may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments or examples. Moreover, without contradiction, those skilled in the art can combine and integrate the different embodiments or examples described in this specification, as well as the features of different embodiments or examples.

[0049] The following is combined Figures 1-5 The present invention describes a liquid storage device and an air conditioning unit.

[0050] According to an embodiment of the first aspect of the present invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides a liquid reservoir 100, which mainly includes: a tank body 101, a first partition 102, a second partition 103, and a valve core assembly 104. The tank body 101 is primarily a hollow structure and can be a shell made of metal or other materials.

[0051] The first partition 102 and the second partition 103 are spaced apart along the height of the tank 101 within the tank 101 to sequentially separate the gas chamber 105, the liquid storage chamber 106, and the liquid chamber 107. That is, the tank 101 mainly consists of three chambers: the upper part is the gas chamber 105, the middle part is the liquid storage chamber 106 (the effective liquid storage chamber), and the lower part is the liquid chamber 107 (the circulating flow path connecting chamber). Furthermore, the first partition 102 is provided with a first through hole 1021, through which… The first through hole 1021 can connect the gas chamber 105 and the liquid storage chamber 106. The second partition 103 is provided with a second through hole 1031, through which the liquid storage chamber 106 and the liquid chamber 107 can be connected. The top of the gas chamber 105 is provided with a gas port 1051 for introducing or discharging gas. The bottom of the liquid chamber 107 is provided with a first liquid port 1071 and a second liquid port 1072, one of which is a liquid inlet and the other is a liquid outlet.

[0052] The valve core assembly 104 is movably disposed within the liquid storage chamber 106, and is adapted to switch between a first position and a second position. When the valve core assembly 104 moves to the first position, it closes the first through hole 1021 of the first partition 102, and the liquid storage chamber 106 is full of liquid. At this time, the second through hole 1031 of the second partition 103 is open, and the liquid chamber 107 is also full of liquid. When the valve core assembly 104 moves to the second position, it closes the second through hole 1031 of the second partition 103, and the liquid storage chamber 106 is in a state of full air, i.e., in a state of liquid evacuation. At this time, the liquid chamber 107 is full of liquid. Therefore, the liquid chamber 107 is always full of liquid.

[0053] Specifically, when the pressure in the lower liquid chamber 107 is greater than the pressure in the upper gas chamber 105, liquid enters the storage chamber 106 from the liquid chamber 107 through the second through hole 1031 of the second partition 103. The valve core assembly 104 rises under the action of the pressure difference. At the same time, the gas in the original storage chamber 106 enters the gas chamber 105 through the first through hole 1021 of the first partition 102. When the valve core assembly 104 moves upward to close the first through hole 1021, it blocks the gas chamber 105. At this time, the pressure difference disappears, and the storage chamber 106 is in a stable liquid storage state, realizing full liquid self-locking.

[0054] Similarly, when the pressure in the upper gas chamber 105 is greater than the pressure in the lower liquid chamber 107, gas enters the liquid storage chamber 106 from the gas chamber 105 through the first through hole 1021 of the first partition 102. The valve core assembly 104 descends under the action of the pressure difference. At the same time, the liquid stored in the liquid storage chamber 106 enters the liquid chamber 107 through the second through hole 1031 of the second partition 103. When the valve core assembly 104 moves downward to close the second through hole 1031, it blocks the liquid chamber 107. At this time, the pressure difference disappears, and the liquid storage chamber 106 is in a stable gas storage state, realizing full gas self-locking.

[0055] It should be noted that the upper air chamber 105 and the lower liquid chamber 107 in this embodiment of the invention serve as static pressure chambers, which can offset the effect of the increase in dynamic pressure caused by the excessive flow rate of liquid or gas on the static pressure, thereby improving the stability of the pressure difference, the accuracy of the lifting action, and the sealing performance of the valve core assembly 104.

[0056] Therefore, the liquid reservoir 100 provided in this embodiment of the invention can actively store liquid or gas according to the pressure of the gas chamber 105 and the liquid chamber 107, realize the active storage and discharge of fluid, and achieve the effect of self-locking when full of liquid and full of gas. It has the characteristics of simple structure and high stability and reliability.

[0057] According to one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the valve core assembly 104 includes a float 1041, a first ejector pin 1042, and a second ejector pin 1043. The first ejector pin 1042 and the second ejector pin 1043 are disposed on the upper and lower sides of the float 1041. When the float 1041 moves to the first position under the action of the pressure difference, it drives the first ejector pin 1042 to move into the first through hole 1021 of the first partition 102, blocking the flow path between the air chamber 105 and the liquid storage chamber 106, thereby achieving a self-locking seal. When the float 1041 moves to the second position under the action of the pressure difference, it drives the second ejector pin 1043 to move into the second through hole 1031 of the second partition 103, blocking the flow path between the liquid storage chamber 106 and the liquid chamber 107, thereby achieving a self-locking seal.

[0058] According to one embodiment of the present invention, both the first through hole 1021 and the second through hole 1031 are tapered holes. The flared ends of the tapered holes of the first partition 102 and the second partition 103 face the liquid storage chamber 106. Correspondingly, the constricted end of the tapered hole of the upper first partition 102 faces the gas chamber 105, and the constricted end of the tapered hole of the lower second partition 103 faces the liquid chamber 107. Furthermore, the first ejector pin 1042 and the second ejector pin 1043 are conical ejector pins. This design allows the upper conical ejector pin to be tightly engaged in the upper tapered hole, or the lower conical ejector pin to be tightly engaged in the lower tapered hole, effectively improving the sealing and self-locking effect, thereby enhancing the stability and reliability of fluid storage.

[0059] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the first through hole 1021 is located at the center of the first partition 102, and the second through hole 1031 is located at the center of the second partition 103. Simultaneously, the first ejector pin 1042 and the second ejector pin 1043 are located at the center of the float 1041, and the first partition 102, the second partition 103, and the float 1041 are concentrically arranged. This design effectively improves the uniformity of force distribution on the float 1041, thereby enhancing the stability of the float 1041's movement.

[0060] The specific shape of the float 1041 of the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, the shape of the float 1041 can be cylindrical, square, or other shapes.

[0061] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the air port 1051 of the upper air chamber 105 is connected to the air pipe 1052, the first liquid port 1071 of the lower liquid chamber 107 is connected to the first liquid pipe 1073, and the second liquid port 1072 is connected to the second liquid pipe 1074, so as to facilitate the flow of fluid in and out.

[0062] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the tank 101 is a pressure-resistant container to improve the safety and reliability of the liquid reservoir 100.

[0063] Furthermore, the tank 101 of the present invention is elliptical in shape, specifically a racetrack shape, with two semi-circular arc cavities at both ends of the racetrack shape being a gas cavity 105 and a liquid cavity 107, and the middle cavity being a liquid storage cavity 106.

[0064] Furthermore, the specific materials of the first partition 102 and the second partition 103 of the present invention are not particularly limited. For example, the first partition 102 and the second partition 103 can be metal plates.

[0065] According to one embodiment of the present invention, referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the liquid reservoir 100 of the present invention further includes a guide assembly, which includes at least two guide rods 108. The at least two guide rods 108 are arranged side by side in the liquid reservoir 106 along the height direction of the liquid reservoir 106, that is, they are spaced apart in the vertical direction, and the valve core assembly 104 is movably connected to the guide rods 108.

[0066] In a specific example, three guide rods 108 are evenly distributed around the center of the float 1041. The float 1041 is provided with three corresponding guide holes 10411, and the three guide rods 108 pass through the three guide holes 10411 of the float 1041 one by one.

[0067] In this embodiment of the invention, by setting a guiding component, the movement of the float 1041 can be guided, so that the pin on the float 1041 can be accurately aligned with the corresponding through hole, thereby improving the sealing and self-locking effect and improving stability and reliability.

[0068] The specific material of the guide rod 108 of the present invention is not particularly limited, as long as it can play a guiding role. For example, the guide rod 108 can be made of metal.

[0069] In related technologies, heat pump air conditioning units experience significant differences in refrigerant flow rate at full load between heating and cooling modes. Specifically, the required refrigerant flow rate is higher during summer cooling, necessitating a larger refrigerant charge, while the required refrigerant flow rate is lower during winter heating, requiring less refrigerant. Consequently, air conditioning units designed for heating may experience insufficient refrigerant flow rate and reduced cooling capacity during summer cooling operation, leading to decreased energy efficiency. Conversely, air conditioning units designed for cooling may experience excessive refrigerant during winter heating operation, also resulting in low energy efficiency.

[0070] Therefore, the present invention cleverly integrates the liquid receiver 100 of the above embodiment into the air conditioning unit, which can independently adjust the refrigerant circulation volume. During winter heating, the liquid receiver 100 can store a portion of the refrigerant liquid so that it does not participate in the circulation. During summer cooling, the liquid receiver 100 can release all the stored refrigerant liquid so that it participates in the circulation, thereby achieving the goal of high-efficiency and high-capacity operation of the air conditioning unit in both summer cooling and winter heating.

[0071] According to an embodiment of the second aspect of the present invention, referring to Figures 3-5 As shown, the present invention also provides an air conditioning unit, mainly comprising: an indoor heat exchanger 200, an outdoor heat exchanger 300, and a liquid receiver 100 as described in the above embodiment. The gas port 1051 of the liquid receiver 100 is connected to the gas pipe end of the outdoor heat exchanger 300 via a gas pipe 1052. The first liquid port 1071 of the liquid receiver 100 is connected to the liquid pipe end of the indoor heat exchanger 200 via a first liquid pipe 1073. The second liquid port 1072 of the liquid receiver 100 is connected to an electronic expansion valve 400 via a second liquid pipe 1074. The electronic expansion valve 400 is connected to the liquid pipe end of the outdoor heat exchanger 300. The flow path diameter of the second liquid pipe 1074 is larger than that of the electronic expansion valve 400, that is, the liquid resistance of the second liquid pipe 1074 is smaller than that of the electronic expansion valve 400.

[0072] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the air conditioning unit of the present invention further includes: a compressor 500 and a four-way valve 600, wherein the first end a of the four-way valve 600 is connected to the exhaust port of the compressor 500, the second end b of the four-way valve 600 is connected to the intake port of the compressor 500, the third end c of the four-way valve 600 is connected to the gas pipe end of the indoor heat exchanger 200, and the fourth end d of the four-way valve 600 is connected to the gas pipe end of the outdoor heat exchanger 300.

[0073] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the indoor heat exchanger 200 is a shell-and-tube heat exchanger and the outdoor heat exchanger 300 is a finned heat exchanger.

[0074] The following is combined Figure 4 and Figure 5 The operating modes of the air conditioning unit provided by this invention are described, generally including: a winter heating mode and a summer cooling mode. The direction of fluid medium flow is shown by the arrows in the figure.

[0075] like Figure 4As shown, in winter heating mode: When the air conditioning unit is in heating mode, the first end a of the four-way valve 600 is connected to the third end c, and the second end b is connected to the fourth end d. The high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas generated by the compressor 500 is condensed and released heat by the indoor heat exchanger 200. The generated refrigerant liquid enters the liquid chamber 107 of the liquid receiver 100 through the first liquid pipe 1073. At this time, since the outdoor heat exchanger 300 is on the low-pressure side and the indoor heat exchanger 200 is on the high-pressure side, that is, the upper gas chamber 105 of the liquid receiver 100 is on the low-pressure side and the lower liquid chamber 107 of the liquid receiver 100 is on the high-pressure side, the pressure of the lower liquid chamber 107 is greater than the pressure of the upper gas chamber 105. The float 1041 rises under the action of the pressure difference, and the refrigerant liquid enters the liquid receiver 106 from the conical hole of the lower second partition 103. As the liquid level rises, the float 1041 rises under the buoyancy of the liquid. The gas in the original liquid storage chamber 106 enters the gas chamber 105 through the conical hole of the upper first partition 102, and then enters the compressor 500 through the gas pipe 1052, the fourth end d and the second end b of the four-way valve 600. When the float 1041 floats to the top of the liquid storage chamber 106, the conical pin on the upper side of the float 1041 inserts into the conical hole of the upper first partition 102, sealing the gas chamber. At this time, the pressure difference disappears, and the liquid storage chamber is in a stable liquid storage state. At the same time, the refrigerant liquid in the liquid chamber 107 flows through the second liquid pipe 1074, passes through the electronic expansion valve 400 for throttling, and flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 300 to absorb heat and evaporate. Then it flows back to the compressor 500 through the fourth end d and the second end b of the four-way valve 600.

[0076] Understandably, since the liquid resistance of the electronic expansion valve 400 is greater than that of the second liquid pipe 1074, the liquid storage chamber 106 can be quickly filled with liquid, thereby improving the liquid storage efficiency. This allows the amount of refrigerant circulating in the air conditioning unit to quickly adapt to the operating conditions and improve the operating energy efficiency.

[0077] Furthermore, when the liquid storage chamber 106 is full, if the liquid storage tank 100 is heated, causing the refrigerant liquid in the liquid storage chamber 106 to absorb heat and flash out refrigerant gas, the refrigerant gas will accumulate more and more in the upper part of the liquid storage chamber 106, the liquid level will drop, and the buoyancy of the float 1041 will decrease. At this time, the pressure on the conical pin on the upper side of the float 1041 is insufficient to resist the weight of the float 1041. As the liquid level drops, the conical pin on the upper side of the float 1041 will temporarily disengage from the conical hole of the upper first partition 102. The flashed refrigerant gas will enter the gas chamber 105 through the conical hole of the upper first partition 102, and the liquid level in the liquid storage chamber 106 will rise again. The float 1041 will float up, and the conical pin on the upper side of the float 1041 will re-insert into the conical hole of the upper first partition 102 to form a seal. This process is repeated to ensure that the liquid storage chamber 106 is always full.

[0078] like Figure 5As shown, in summer cooling mode: When the air conditioning unit is in cooling mode, the four-way valve 600 is switched. The first end a of the four-way valve 600 is connected to the fourth end d, and the second end b is connected to the third end c. A portion of the high-temperature and high-pressure refrigerant gas generated by the compressor 500 flows into the outdoor heat exchanger 300 to condense and release heat. The generated refrigerant liquid is throttled by the electronic expansion valve 400 and enters the liquid chamber 107 of the liquid receiver 100 through the second liquid pipe 1074. At this time, the outdoor heat exchanger 300 is the high-pressure side, and the indoor heat exchanger 200 is the low-pressure side. That is, the upper gas chamber 105 of the liquid receiver 100 is the high-pressure side, and the lower liquid chamber 107 of the liquid receiver 100 is the low-pressure side. The pressure in the upper gas chamber 105 is greater than the pressure in the lower liquid chamber 107. First, the liquid in the liquid receiver 106 will react with the liquid in the indoor heat exchanger 200 under the action of gravity. The flow of fluid creates a communicating vessel effect, automatically balancing the liquid level. The liquid level itself tends to decrease. Combined with the weight of the float 1041 and the pressure difference at the upper conical pin, the float 1041 descends, causing the upper conical pin to disengage from the conical hole of the upper first partition 102. At this time, another part of the refrigerant gas from the compressor 500 enters the gas chamber 105 through the gas pipe 1052, and then enters the liquid storage chamber 106 through the conical hole of the upper first partition 102. Under the action of the pressure difference, the liquid level drops rapidly, and the float 1041 descends with the liquid level. When the float 1041 falls to the conical hole of the lower second partition 103, the conical pin on the lower side of the float 1041 inserts into the conical hole of the lower second partition 103, forming a seal. At this time, the pressure difference disappears, and the liquid storage chamber 106 is in a full gas state, that is, in a liquid evacuation state. Meanwhile, the refrigerant liquid in the liquid chamber 107 flows through the first liquid pipe 1073 through the indoor heat exchanger 200 to absorb heat and evaporate, and then flows back to the compressor 500 through the third end c and the second end b of the four-way valve 600.

[0079] Understandably, when the air conditioning unit is running in cooling mode for the first time, since there is no refrigerant liquid in the liquid receiver 100, under the action of pressure difference, the conical pin on the lower side of the float 1041 inserts into the conical hole of the lower second partition 103 to form a seal, and the liquid receiver 106 is in a full gas state. The refrigerant liquid in the air conditioning unit's circulation path cannot enter the liquid receiver 106, thereby keeping the refrigerant circulation volume in the air conditioning unit's circulation path relatively stable under cooling conditions.

[0080] Furthermore, when the liquid storage chamber 106 is full of gas, if the liquid storage tank 100 is cooled, causing the gas in the liquid storage chamber 106 to condense into liquid, the liquid will continuously accumulate and rise. The float 1041 will be affected by the buoyancy of the liquid and will rise against the pressure at the conical hole of the lower second partition 103. The conical pin on the lower side of the float 1041 will temporarily disengage from the conical hole of the lower second partition 103. Under the action of pressure difference, the liquid will enter the liquid chamber 107 through the conical hole of the lower second partition 103. The float 1041 will fall again to form a seal. This process is repeated to ensure that the liquid storage chamber 106 is always in a state of liquid drainage.

[0081] Therefore, the liquid storage of the air conditioning unit provided in this embodiment of the invention is stable, which can ensure that the liquid storage chamber 106 is always full of liquid in winter. No matter how the compressor 500 is frequency-modulated or how the condensing pressure changes, the refrigerant liquid stored inside will not be released and will not participate in the circulation. In summer, it can also ensure that the liquid storage chamber 106 is always full of gas. No matter how the evaporation pressure changes, liquid will not enter. This achieves active and stable regulation of the refrigerant quality participating in the circulation under both cooling and heating conditions, enabling the air conditioning unit to achieve high efficiency and high capacity operation under both conditions.

[0082] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the effective volume of the liquid storage chamber 106 of the liquid receiver 100 is matched with the difference in refrigerant mass required under full heating load and full cooling load conditions of the air conditioning unit.

[0083] This design allows for precise and autonomous adjustment of the refrigerant circulation volume in the circulation path based on operating conditions, adapting to different operating conditions and enabling the air conditioning unit to achieve high-efficiency and high-capacity operation in both summer cooling and winter heating, thereby effectively improving the user experience.

[0084] For example, the air conditioning unit of the present invention is charged with refrigerant according to the full load operation condition of summer cooling. Assuming that the mass of refrigerant required for summer cooling operation is 1kg and the mass of refrigerant required for winter heating operation is 700g, the mass difference of refrigerant required for the two operation conditions is 300g.

[0085] During summer cooling, the liquid storage chamber 106 is in a full gas state, and the refrigerant circulation volume is maintained at 1kg, which is suitable for summer cooling conditions; during winter heating, the liquid storage chamber 106 is in a full liquid state, storing 300g, and the refrigerant circulation volume reaches 700g, which is suitable for winter heating conditions.

[0086] It is understandable that the mass of the stored refrigerant is equal to the product of the effective volume of the liquid storage chamber 106 and the density of the refrigerant.

[0087] Furthermore, during summer cooling operation, the liquid storage chamber 106 contains gas, while during winter heating operation, it contains liquid. Under the same effective volume, the mass of the stored liquid is much greater than the mass of the gas. Therefore, the mass of refrigerant gas stored in a fully gaseous state is very small and can be ignored, having virtually no impact on the operation during summer cooling operation.

[0088] In summary, the air conditioning unit provided by this invention can store a portion of refrigerant liquid during winter heating, reducing the refrigerant circulation volume. During summer heating, it can prevent refrigerant liquid from entering the storage chamber or release the stored refrigerant liquid, maintaining or increasing the refrigerant circulation volume. Therefore, this invention can autonomously and stably adjust the refrigerant circulation volume according to the dual-mode operation of the air conditioning unit, thereby improving the dual-mode operation energy efficiency of the air conditioning unit.

[0089] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the technical solutions described in the foregoing embodiments, or equivalent substitutions can be made to some of the technical features; and these modifications or substitutions do not cause the essence of the corresponding technical solutions to deviate from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A reservoir characterized by, The application relates to a liquid accumulator for an air conditioner, comprising: a tank body; a first partition plate and a second partition plate, which are arranged in the tank body in a height direction of the tank body to sequentially divide a gas cavity, a liquid storage cavity and a liquid cavity, wherein the first partition plate is provided with a first through hole, the second partition plate is provided with a second through hole, the gas cavity is provided with a gas port, and the liquid cavity is provided with a first liquid port and a second liquid port; a valve core assembly, which is movably arranged in the liquid storage cavity and is adapted to switch between a first position and a second position, in the first position, the valve core assembly closes the first through hole, and the liquid storage cavity is in a full-liquid state; in the second position, the valve core assembly closes the second through hole, and the liquid storage cavity is in a full-gas state.

2. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein, The valve core assembly comprises: a float; a first top pin and a second top pin, which are arranged on the upper and lower sides of the float; in the first position, the first top pin is located in the first through hole; in the second position, the second top pin is located in the second through hole.

3. The reservoir of claim 2, wherein, The first through hole and the second through hole are conical holes, the flared end of the conical hole faces the liquid storage cavity, and the first top pin and the second top pin are conical top pins.

4. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein, The first through hole is located at the center of the first partition plate, and the second through hole is located at the center of the second partition plate.

5. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein, The gas port is connected with a gas pipe, the first liquid port is connected with a first liquid pipe, and the second liquid port is connected with a second liquid pipe.

6. The reservoir of claim 1, wherein, The tank body is a pressure-resistant container.

7. The reservoir of any one of claims 1-6, wherein, The application further comprises: a guide assembly, which comprises: at least two guide rods, which are arranged side by side in the liquid storage cavity in a height direction of the liquid storage cavity, and the valve core assembly is movably connected to the guide rods.

8. An air conditioning unit characterized by, The application relates to an air conditioner, comprising: an indoor heat exchanger, an outdoor heat exchanger and the liquid accumulator according to any one of claims 1-7, wherein the gas port of the liquid accumulator is connected with a gas pipe end of the outdoor heat exchanger, the first liquid port of the liquid accumulator is connected with a liquid pipe end of the indoor heat exchanger, and the second liquid port of the liquid accumulator is connected with an electronic expansion valve through a second liquid pipe, the electronic expansion valve is connected with a liquid pipe end of the outdoor heat exchanger; wherein the flow path diameter of the second liquid pipe is larger than the flow path diameter of the electronic expansion valve.

9. The air conditioning unit of claim 8, wherein, The application further comprises: a compressor; a four-way valve, wherein a first end of the four-way valve is connected with a gas outlet of the compressor, a second end of the four-way valve is connected with a gas inlet of the compressor, a third end of the four-way valve is connected with a gas pipe end of the indoor heat exchanger, and a fourth end of the four-way valve is connected with a gas pipe end of the outdoor heat exchanger.

10. The air conditioning unit of claim 8, wherein, The effective volume of the liquid storage cavity of the liquid accumulator is matched with the difference between the refrigerant demand mass of a heating full-load working condition and the refrigerant demand mass of a refrigerating full-load working condition of an air conditioner unit.

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